Going around the rear of the shopping center it is my opinion that the Mayfair was located on the far West of the main strip, although not the end space. Very typical structural elements. Therefore, if I’m correct it is now the site of the Good Luck Chinese Buffet which is listed as 200 Jericho Turnpike.

I believe I’ve pinned the final days of this theater down to May 1984. It’s listed in the May 21, 1984 issue of New York Magazine as showing The Bounty through May 17 (obviously the 5/21 issue must’ve hit newsstands prior to that). The theater is not listed in the May 28 issue or any subsequent issues that I have checked.

As the Multiplex opened in October 1983, this makes sense. The Mayfair puttered along for another 7 months and then went dark.

Another great story, Saps! “Jessica…” is a classic (if you are into 1970’s horror movies). The star is the woman who used to do the “…Got a can of Goya beans in the house?” TV commercials, who I thought was Tyne Daley for years (but is not). I believe I have the ad/listings for it as well. If I find it, I will post it. I remember Mayfair being big and boxy…but for an movie theater that made it into the 80’s,it was a good thing. I approximated that most Suffolk County theaters and drive ins closed between 1984 and 1988—mainly because of the evil Commack Multi-Plex.

When I was growing up I didn’t do my chores or something, and I wasn’t allowed to go see “Let’s Scare Jessica to Death” when it played here in 1971. My father drove us all to the theater and dropped my sisters off, but I had to stay in the car and go home. I guess he was trying to make a point, but I never really forgave him and never forgot it. And to this day I have never seen that movie.

I saw “Curtains” at the Mayfair in (1985?), and remember when “Americathon” was there in 1979. Did the Mayfair specialize in BOMB movies ? I also saw Grease there in 1978. Hardees was across the way and my favorite haunt, Bargain Books was in the Mayfair shopping center! I loved all the dated (even by 1975 standards) posters in the window (Marvel comic characters, day glo posters, etc)and always got my fix of old back issues of Mad, Creepy, Famous Monsters, etc. It was large with an “adult” section. 441 Bargain Books was in Huntington, and was connected to it somehow. The Huntington branch eventually got overwhelmed by it’s “adult” section by the 1980’s. Does anyone know when the Commack Bargain Books closed ? 1978? 1979?

Some more info… This was not a standalone house, but part of a large strip mall known as the Mayfair Shopping Center. Apparently, the current owners renovated the entire complex back in 2000 and have since leased large anchor units to the Gap, Waldbaums Supermarket and Genovese Drugs. This would explain the completely new look of the facade. Ciao Baby is on the eastern end of the complex, which sits back on the north side of Jericho behind a large parking lot and several curbfront standalone units (an Outback Restaurant and a couple of bank branches). I suspect that the mall (and therefore the theater itself) dates back no farther than to the early 1960’s.

Also of interest is that, prior to the construction of the local Roman Catholic Church (Christ the King), church services were held both in the Mayfair’s auditorium as well as the basement of Gimbel’s Department Store (also a tenant in the shopping center).

An acquaintance of mine who grew up in the area, tells me that the Mayfair Theater is now a Ciao Baby restaurant. They have three locations on Long Island. The address for Commack is listed as 1000-1003 Jericho Turnpike. I’m not sure if the former theater space is wholly occupied by the restaurant or split among Ciao Baby and other retailers.

Their website has a photo gallery which includes an image of the exterior, which appears to have undergone considerable alterations when compared to the marquee shot that Lost Memory linked to back on October 21, 2004.

We used to go see “Rocky Horror Picture Show” at the Mayfair, must have gone two dozen times. Always brought all the goodies(flashlight, newspaper & spray bottle, toilet paper(Great Scott!), hot dogs, etc).

I also remember going to see a Charlie Brown movie there sometime in the 70’s and sitting in puke(not my favorite memory, but I’m stuck with it!).

This theatre was very similar to The Deer Park Theatre. It must have been built by the same company, even the marquees above the buildings were the same. When I was a kid I saw “The Omega Man” and “The Red Tent” here.